The culprit: Rapidly rising bond yields are alarming investors who got hooked on a decade of low interest rates.

So what’s going on here? And why the focus on the bond market?

Modern financial markets function on the belief that U.S. government debt is the safest investment on the planet.

Knowing how much they can earn from “risk-free” Treasury bonds allows investors to determine the cost of stocks and other riskier assets. Treasuries serve as the benchmark for all other forms of credit, from junk bonds to mortgages.

“The 10-year Treasury sets the price for every asset in the world,” said Brent Schutte, chief investment strategist at Northwestern Mutual.

That means the surge in the 10-year yield — from 2.4% earlier this year to about 2.8% now — has increased the cost of money generally.

Investors fear that if rates continue to spike, the stock market won’t look like such a bargain anymore. When interest rates are low, investors are willing to pay up for stocks — and vice versa.

That massive deficit will require extra borrowing, in the form of more Treasury sales. Attracting buyers may require higher yields, especially because the Federal Reserve has stopped buying Treasuries to stimulate the economy.

The good news is that a steady climb in bond rates could be absorbed by the stock market, because the underlying fundamentals — the U.S. economy and corporate profits — remain strong.

The key will be the speed behind the move.

“If we get there gradually, it’s not a problem,” Schutte said. “If it happens suddenly, shocks can take the market off course.”

2. Trump’s infrastructure plan: The White House plans to release its infrastructure proposal on Monday. It’s been a long time coming.

President Donald Trump has said repeatedly that he wants to invest $1 trillion in repairing and upgrading U.S. infrastructure. He raised the target during the State of the Union. He said he plans to combine $200 billion in federal money with private spending to reach a $1.5 trillion infrastructure package.

Kent Rowey, a partner in the firm Allen & Overy who specializes in public-private partnerships, told CNNMoney that dozens of funds have been started for investing in infrastructure.

“There’s more product than demand at the moment,” he added. Money earmarked for loan programs that are typically used in public-private partnerships, he said, could serve as the “catalyst” that finally gets the ball rolling.

The White House is also scheduled to release the president’s budget proposal on Monday.

3. Food earnings: Several food companies are set to release earnings this week. On deck for Monday is Restaurant Brands, parent company of Burger King, followed by Pepsi on Tuesday.

Dr Pepper Snapple and Molson Coors plan to report on Wednesday. And Coca-Cola, Campbell Soup, Kraft Heinz and Smucker are expected to share results on Friday.

A few other companies plan to report earnings next week, including Under Armour, MetLife, Hilton, Cisco, Marriott, CBS and Newell Brands.

Also on Wednesday, the Labor Department is set to release its Consumer Price Index for January. The index is used to determine the rate of inflation — all the more important as the market wobbles with inflation jitters.